WSP Blog is taking a short hiatus until Monday, November 2nd (right before Election Day!) but there’s still a few posts lingering (more updated photos of the work, and some commentary) that I’ll post in the interim so check back!
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Washington Square Park Redesign: Phase II — Photos
A major legacy of Bloomberg’$ reign of error has been the fenced in park. It makes it as if those of us in the general public are closely supervised guests in our own parks.
The redesigned WSP is horrible. It has less space, less seating, no fencing that can be used for additional seating, and most importantly, the new fountain jets spray water (and leak) all over the fountain seating to the extent that on most days it is impossible to sit around or in the fountain unless you are willing to get drenched. This is in direct opposition to the promises the city made to the court in the lawsuits challenging the redesign, as well as the judges demand, that the WSP fountain not be altered to prevent any of its traditional uses.
Sure, it was nice to be able to cool down in the fountain when they opened it during the hot summer days, but look at how it’s being disused now that it’s cooled off… people are AVOIDING the fountain. The lawsuit case files also have the city going on record and the judge demanding that the WSP manager be able to, and be responsive to any park user requests to lower the fountain jets so that people can sit in the fountain and not get soaked on breezy days – yet every day (even when it’s raining) they have the fountain jets shooting full blast. The city promised that the fountain jets would not turn the fountain into an ornament, but so far that’s been a lie.